healthy food

For as long as I can remember I’ve been pretty conscious of what I put in my mouth. I don’t always make good choices but I’m at least conscious of it! After I was diagnosed with cancer I redoubled my efforts to eat whole, clean foods and make a hard push towards a primarily planted based diet. I started by eliminating red meat. This wasn’t a stretch for me as I rarely ate red meat to begin with because I just don’t like it!

I don’t have a nutrition degree but I’ve done an extensive amount of nutritional research and I feel that cutting out red meat and reducing animal products in my diet in general has dramatically improved my health.
I then started to cut down on the amount of chicken I eat. At this point, I eat chicken or seafood just a few times a month. I also still eat eggs and dairy, for now. I’ve never felt deprived or like I’m missing out on anything. And, although close friends and family know my eating habits, I refuse to expect anyone to accommodate me. When I eat at someone’s home, I just eat extra of the side dishes!

As a fitness coach, I don’t advise my clients to follow a prescribed diet plan or program (unless there’s a clinical need for it) like Atkins or paleo or pescatarian or whatever. I know there are people who have had success with these kinds of things but generally speaking, they’re not sustainable long term and the “label” of being a certain kind of eater is very restrictive. I have friends and acquaintances who “can’t” eat certain foods because they’re on a diet program that doesn’t “allow” them. These kinds of programs are baffling to me! Sure, I choose to not eat certain things but I feel that that’s my personal choice. I’m not being TOLD that I CAN’T. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me!

Which brings me back to what a flexitarian is! I didn’t even know that was a thing until I started researching plant-based recipes. However, the description is perfect…”flexible eater.” That makes sense to me and is a label I can live with!

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Detoxing cleanses and diets seem to be the latest health trend. People use them to lose weight or to attempt to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle or because they have a belief that their body can’t naturally get rid of toxins on its own. Not true, by the way! If you’re feeling sluggish and unhealthy it’s more likely because of what you’re putting into your body rather than your body’s inability to get bad stuff out.

Detoxes come in a variety of forms. Some have you drink only juices, some allow certain foods and some “require” supplements or proprietary products from the company promoting the cleanse. You may see weight loss with a detox diet simply because you’re taking in so few calories not because this program is so healthy. And you will likely gain the weight back when you’re done with the diet. The detox will leave you feeling weak and depleted. You could experience headaches, nausea, muscle aches or cramps and fatigue. Does any of that sound healthy to you?!

The human body is naturally equipped to handle toxins if you fuel it properly. The very best “detox diet” you can perform is to eat clean, healthy, whole food. Lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and minimally processed foods. These kinds of foods will help your body run efficiently and ultimately get you the results you want in a healthier and more sustainable way.

Here’s a sample of meals for a day just to get you started. I’m not vegetarian but I don’t eat red meat and I eat chicken and fish only occasionally so this sample day may not be right for everyone. But it gives you an idea. I usually have 2 cups of coffee in the morning and drink water the rest of the day.

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We eat pretty healthy in my house. 80% of my personal diet is plant-based and my kids understand the importance of a healthy diet and appreciate how they feel when they eat well. But, kids will be kids and they fight me on the veggie front a lot. Shocking, I know. They love fruit so getting enough of that is not a problem but those leafy greens and other colorful veggies are a problem.

Up until about 6 months ago, I made salads often to go with our dinner. What’s better than raw, whole foods, right? Especially in the summer. My husband doesn’t like tomatoes, onions or peppers so that limited what I could put in the salad and I had to get creative. Sometimes, I made one big salad in a bowl and sometimes I made a salad bar so hubby and kids could make their own. Everyone would eat it but I usually had to remind them and there was always leftovers.

I figure I spent a good 20 minutes prepping a salad three or four nights a week and for what? So I could grumbling at the dinner table when I reminded them to fill their bowls? Why was I fighting this? I hated that getting a good dose of vegetables was drudgery for them. It shouldn’t be this hard and unpleasant.

Then I had a vegetable epiphany…

It was more like a “duh” moment actually.

Everyone in my house loves raw carrot sticks and hummus. We have it as a snack often. The kids even take it in their lunches. They like a few other veggies like broccoli, cherry tomatoes and cucumber but carrots seem to be the gold standard for raw vegetable snacks. So one day for dinner I put out a bowl of fresh raw carrot sticks and hummus instead of a salad.

I thought my family would think I was being lazy but they loved it! It was so much easier on me and it was completely gone before dinner was over. This has now become my new norm. I switch it up sometimes with different veggies and dips and sometimes apple slices. And while this isn’t at EVERY meal, it has made everything so much more pleasant.

Carrots and hummus

The lesson here… Don’t fight it based on an idea of what you think a meal should be or needs to be. It just makes being healthy miserable. Rethink your meal plans, get creative and make it easy on yourself.

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Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner is more than just a recipe book. The authors have written easy, real life guidelines and instructions for including whole delicious foods in your day. They make it so perfectly simple. They include practical information on washing, prepping and storing ingredients as well as info on different blender options. So helpful!

Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner

The 10-day Challenge is the ideal way to get started with green smoothies. The ingredients are all recognizable and easy to find. No exotic fruits you have to travel all over town for! Jen and Jadah talk to you, the reader, throughout the book in a friendly conversational way which makes it easy to follow along. All their recipes are gluten and dairy free for those that want or need it.

This is not what you would think of as a “fitness” book but the authors promote a fit and healthy, and most importantly, balanced lifestyle. If you need to make nutritional changes in your life this book and the green smoothie lifestyle is the perfect place to start. There are so many great recipes and simple ingredients to choose from. You’ll never be bored drinking the same thing every day.

My own green smoothie recipes were perfect for me but hit or miss with my kids. The Kid Friendly chapter in Simple Green Smoothies solved that problem. We haven’t tried all the recipes yet but the “Banana Split” and the “Happy Monkey” are big hits. And the ice pop recipes are genius!

I love oats but I never thought to add them to my smoothies until reading the Fitness Fuel chapter. This is now my new favorite ingredient! This chapter provides recipes for pre- and post-workout drinks that are so much better for you and tastier than pre-packaged, processed drinks.

I like that they include recipes for making your own nut milks and nut-free milks. Coconut milk…yum! Certainly, it’s convenient to buy them if you can find them but Jen and Jadah’s instructions make it so easy to make your own and ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting in your smoothie.

I can’t say enough great things about this book! I’ve made smoothies at home for a long time but Simple Green Smoothies has re-energized my blender and kicked me out of my rut.

All good advise, to be sure, but if you want to see real change in your health, here are some additional keys to shopping to keep in mind.

The #1 most important thing to do is choose REAL food. If you make this your priority it will make most of your shopping easy. On a side note, I believe buying organic whenever you can is best but I also know that can be tough. It’s expensive and sometimes hard to find. Do what you can and make the best choices for your family.

Fruity Deliciousness

The produce section should be your first stop. Look for seasonal fruits and veggies and refer to the USDA’s Dirty Dozen list for produce that should be bought organically if possible. You can’t go wrong with fresh fruits and vegetables so load that cart! Pre-cut and packaged produce is super convenient just make sure its fresh and nothing else was added.

In the meat department, choose lean cuts of meat and seafood. Beware of convenience packs of things like pre-made burgers and other meats pre-seasoned or marinated and meats injected with added fluids. Just check labels so you know what you’re getting. When choosing meals, remember that a small amount of meat goes a long way and meats don’t have to be the center of the meal!

When buying grains like oatmeal and rice, look for whole grains with minimal or no processing and avoid packages with added spices or seasonings. You can always add your own. For example, individual serving packs of oatmeal are convenient but are usually loaded with sugar and other additives. Make your own with whole grain oats, a dash of cinnamon and some dried fruit or nuts. It takes about 10 minutes to make a weeks worth of breakfast packets. In the morning, combine the packet contents with water and microwave for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Nuts and seeds are great non-meat sources of protein. Look for raw or lightly roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds and walnuts, to name a few! Avoid mixes with candy or other sweetened items in them and salted nuts and seeds. There are lots of options and grocery stores are carrying more and more varieties so experiment, mix some together and find what you like. Nuts and seeds are also great as a salad topper.

In the dairy department, read labels and buy organic if possible. Look for natural cheeses. Not cheese-flavored products! Buy yogurts with whole fruit and no added sugar. Better yet, buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit since you’ve already been to the produce section! Honey is also a great, more natural sweetener.

The #2 most important thing to do is read ingredient lists. If you are buying packaged food, ignore the front of the box and never assume you know whats in it. Calories, fat and sodium content are important things to consider but if you opt for products with short, pronounceable ingredient lists, you’re probably doing ok! I realize this isn’t true 100% of the time but chances are, the less processed the food, the better it is for you.

Need dinner tonight?…

If you’re running short on time and you need to put something on the table quick, a fresh roasted chicken from the meat or deli department and a tossed salad are about as easy as you can get.

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Do you drink a commercial sports drink after a workout? There are quite a few on the grocery store shelves in too many flavors and colors to count. They certainly serve their purpose and there is plenty of research to indicate their usefulness in replenishing your body after a tough, sweaty workout.

Research also says that sports drinks are useful for workouts that last longer than an hour. You generally don’t need anything more than plain water for shorter workouts.

I prefer to avoid the added sugar and artificial flavors and colors of commercial drinks even when I do need more than just water.

Enter…the homemade sports drink!

You’re probably thinking “It’s just easier to buy them.” “I don’t have time to mix drinks.” I have a super simple recipe below that only has 3 ingredients and you probably already have 2 of them in your kitchen.

The benefits to making your own sports drink:

Usually, it’s cheaper. Ok, sometimes you can hit great sales at grocery or big box stores but in the long run, I have found it cheaper to make my own.

General health reasons. I personally try to avoid chemicals, added sugar and processed foods in general. Even though sports drinks are associated with exercise and health, they are still highly processed. By making your own you can avoid unwanted ingredients and allergens.

Reliability. By making your own drink, you can tweak it to your exact preferences/needs and know what your getting every time.

Less wasteful. You can mix when and how much you need in your own containers and not have to worry about the added waste of plastic bottles or the concern of questionable chemicals in the plastic.

So, to create my own drink, I wanted simple, common ingredients that didn’t need a lot of prep. I did an hour or so of research and created a recipe using watermelon, plain water or coconut water and a little salt. I told you it was simple!

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that watermelon juice helped reduce recovery heart rate and muscle soreness after 24 hours. A naturally occurring chemical in watermelon accelerates lactic acid removal. This means you can recover faster and perform better.

Plain water is always a good choice and I don’t think that needs anymore explaining!

Coconut water is the clear liquid from young, green coconuts and contains easily digested carbs and electrolytes. It has less sodium and calories and more potassium than most commercial sports drinks. Various studies have shown that coconut water helps hydrate just as well as plain water or sports drinks. Make sure, when buying that you get plain coconut water. It will defeat the point of making your own drink if you purchase products with added sugar or juice.

* cubed watermelon can be frozen for those times of year when it’s not readily available (I have not personally had good success with this but I’ve heard other people have!)
* you can adjust the ratio of plain water and coconut water to your own taste. Some people don’t like the taste of coconut water or can’t easily find it at the store.
* I add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice sometimes to cut some of the sweetness of ripe watermelon

If you have your own homemade concoctions, please share in the comments!